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Bibleman (Jomaribryan's version)
Bibleman is an American, Christian direct-to-video children's series created by Willie Aames that ran from 1995 to 2010 with the goal of influencing young children into practicing Christianity. The series centers around an evangelical superhero who fights evil and quotes scripture. The show had three incarnations: The Bibleman Show, The Bibleman Adventure, and Bibleman: Powersource. The series' titular character is played by Willie Aames (from 1995 to 2002) and then by Robert T. Schlipp (from 2003 to 2010). Originally owned by Pamplin Entertainment then sold to Tommy Nelson, the series is currently owned by B&H Kids. It was re-launched in animated format in 2016 (new title Bibleman: The Animated Adventures). Plot Miles Peterson, a wealthy man with the best the world had to offer, turned to God and the Bible in his most desperate hour and from then on pledged to fight evil with the word of God. Disguised in the full armor of God as Bibleman, Miles fights against enemies using scripture. Josh Carpenter finds out about the Bible when his parents are arguing. He is a former children's pastor and is the second Bibleman. Characters Main Characters Miles Peterson (played by Willie Aames): The first Bibleman. As depicted in the show's intro, Miles was described as a man who had success, fame and wealth, but was a frustrated and miserable man. After giving up and throwing himself to the ground in anguish, he discovers a Bible covered in mud. Upon finding it, he experiences a "burning desire to know God" and becomes a Christian. He then decides to fight evil in the name of God as Bibleman. Coats (played by Marc Wayne): Miles Peterson's best friend and first sidekick. Coats left the team (as stated in Conquering the Wrath of Rage) to coach a high school basketball team. U.N.I.C.E (voiced by Maylo McCaslin): The female computer in the BibleCave and Mobile Mission Command Center. Cypher (played by Brady Williams): Bibleman's second sidekick. Biblegirl (played by Tracy Henao and Heather McSmith): The first female sidekick. She first fights with a net, then a gun and then a side shooting weapon. Josh Carpenter (played by Robert T. Schlipp): The second Bibleman character after Miles retires. He is depicted as someone who never understood the Bible until his darkest day (when his parents were arguing) where he read his Bible and accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Melody. Biblegirl's cousin. She is the only sidekick to have never served alongside Miles Peterson. Villains Dr. Decepto A scientist villain with green skin. He only appeared in a flashback in Big Big Book, where he defeated Bibleman, but he (Decepto) was later seen behind bars. Madam Glitz A self-centred woman in Back to School. She captured Miles Peterson (Bibleman) because she wanted the fame Bibleman had. However, Bibleman tells her that it is the Word of God that everyone desires and needs to hear. She was placed inside a T.V. set by God. The Fibbler A green-haired evil clown (resembling the Cesar Romero Joker from the Batman) who influenced one of the Church singing group children into lying. After she asks her friends for forgiveness, he and Bibleman fight. The Fibbler was defeated and destroyed by his own sword of darkness. The Gossip Queen A villainess queen whose character design was later widely criticized3 for sharing many characteristics with traditional Jewish stereotypes (e.g., possessing dark skin, curly black hair, a large hook-nose, thick lips, and dark-colored beady eyes).4 She tried to rip the Church singing group apart. She has two henchmen named Loose Lips and Blabbermouth and could fire Beams of Bitterness from her fingers. She was destroyed when she was hit by Bibleman's sword. Luxor Spawndroth (Brian Lemmons) A villain who takes on different persons after defeat. These incarnations include: The Shadow of Doubt, Master of Misery, Dr. Fear, El Furioso, The Prince of Pride, Himself, and lastly Temptation. Ludicrous The evil sidekick of Luxor Spawndroth. L.U.C.I. (The Link to Underhanded Computer Influences) is the evil counterpart to U.N.I.C.E and computer to all the villains starting with Dr. Fear. Primordius Drool/The Wacky Protestor (Jef Scott) was a goofy, blue-skinned demon scientist who was formerly a green skinned demon with greater powers before he got demoted. His abilities include plasma balls and, as Primordius Drool, lightning. During his final scheme, he created a special portal to another realm to trap Christian students and turn them to atheism. However, he got caught in his own trap and was stuck there forever. He was the first villain fought by the second Bibleman, Josh Carpenter. Rapscallion P. Sinister was the villain fought by Bibleman in the 2005 live show, hired by the Wacky Protestor to take out the source of Bibleman's power. He spoke with a British accent and, according to him, the "P" in his name stands for polite. He was defeated when placed inside a cage that sucked out his power. Professor E. Meritus Snortinskoff A mad scientist who's in charge of Snortinskoff Industries and makes kids disrespect their authorities. His henchman is Stench. This mad scientist is played by Steven Sandsford. 2Kul 4Skul (2kool 4skool) A gray-skinned villain who devised a plan to establish a T.V. station with the call letters W.B.I.G. (which stand for What's Bad is Good) to block the gospel from reaching youth. He is played by Jeff Durham. I.M. Wonderful A vain woman who wears a gold mask and a cape. She was played by two actors, one of whom was Lisa Kent. The Cheater The Cheater, played by Peter Vann, is a villain who influences kids to cheat. His tools are his "belittler" and his flying cards. The Slacker This senior villain, played by Josh Childs, makes kids lazy with his Lasers of Laziness. He carries a staff (laser of laziness) and goons to support him in battle. Super Pro Gamemaster 2 This villain was a cyborg who could control machines. He appeared in "Lambasting the Legions of Laziness". He is played by Henry Haggard. Super Pro Gamemaster 3 This robotic leader of the Evildoers Club, played by Eric Pasto-Crosby, was Super Pro Gamemaster 2's successor. He has powers similar to his predecessor and developed the video game Big Bad Bully. Baron Ulysses Tantamont von Braggart A sheriff-like pig villain with a golden head cap who lives in a castle. His weapons are his electric staff that he uses to battle Bibleman, and his electric chair that he uses to shoot at Bibleman and Cypher. The Commandant of Confusion A gold skinned heavyweight villain who is very technical and has an evil sidekick named Chaos, who is dressed up in a black and red jumpsuit. Chaos Man in a black and red suit and mask. Sidekick to many villains, but only seen with The Commandant of Confusion. Reception The program has been criticized for its format and production values, including in an August 2009 episode of the U.K. topical show You Have Been Watching, with panelist David Mitchell saying "The thing that struck me most about it is quite how badly it is made, to the extent that you must think it's been made by anti-Christian people to make Christianity look as naff and discouraging and artless as possible." The series has been described as dogmatically evangelical. In 1998, sales made up less than one percent of the Christian children's video market. Three years later, sales climbed to eleven percent of that market. It held third place behind first place Veggietales and second place 3-2-1 Penguins! The Dove Foundationgave the series its "Family-Approved" Seal for "this energetic battle against evil." Of Bibleman, Marc Peyser of Newsweek writes, Much of Christian entertainment, like the "Bibleman" videos featuring a Scripture-quoting superhero, is designed as a kinder, gentler yet more searching alternative for an audience that has long felt overlooked by the prevailing media and entertainment culture. But as those products have become more successful-and the people in those industries have become savvier-the category has edged closer to the mainstream. Pop music that never mentions the word Jesus. Movies that spend as much time blowing up buildings as saving souls. As with other groups that have created their own subcultures-women, African-Americans, gays and lesbians-Christian entertainment has emerged from its sheltered infancy and has begun to straddle two worlds: the religious one that created it and the secular one it was designed to avoid. Bibleman Live Performances The live show has been described as falling between "a high budget Sunday school pageant, a Batman movie, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to even Power Rangers in how it comes across." The production borrows heavily from popular culture, including films, popular music and video games. Merchandise Action figures In October 2000, Tommy Nelson released the first series of 5" Bibleman action figures starting with Bibleman and villain El Furioso. The series later included figures of Cypher, Biblegirl, and Temptation. The final figure in the series was a platinum version of Bibleman. Board game The Bibleman Adventure board game was released by Talicor in 2001. Players select a hero card and matching token to battle the "Bad Guys" while traveling quickly through the town of Shatzville in an attempt to "save the children." The first player to rescue six kids, deliver them safely to the town church and race back to the BibleMan Cave is the winner! The BibleMan board game is actually two games in one. Instructions are included for both a Basic Game (Ages 3–6), and an Advanced Game (Ages 7 & up) and allows for both age groups to play at the same time. Video game A Bibleman computer game was released in 2005 by Covenant Studios titled The Bibleman Video Game Adventure: A Fight for Faith. It received generally mixed reviews. Although it did receive some negative reviews, it was praised by some evangelical Christian gaming sites for "family-friendly" and "Christ-centered" gameplay. Books In 2000 Tommy Nelson published The Bibleman Bible, using the ICBtranslation text and featured 32 full color images from the show and mini-comic sections. Tommy Nelson then published The Official Bibleman Collector's Edition book the same year, then in 2001 published Bibleman Combat Manual, a book intended to aid in memorizing bible verses. Episodes * The Bibleman Show ** Big Big Book (1995) ** Back to School (1995) ** The Six Lies of the Fibbler (1996) ** Silencing the Gossip Queen (1996) * The Bibleman Adventure ** Defeating the Shadow of Doubt (1998) ** The Fiendish Works of Dr. Fear (1999) ** The Incredible Force of Joy (1999) ** Conquering the Wrath of Rage (2000) ** Shattering the Prince of Pride (2000) ** Breaking the Bonds of Disobedience (2001) ** Lead Us Not Into Temptation (2001) ** Jesus Our Savior Part 1 (2002) ** Jesus Our Savior Part 2 (2003) ** A Light in the Darkness (2003) ** Divided We Fall (2004) ** A Fight For Faith (2004) * PowerSource ** Terminating the Toxic Tonic of Disrespect (2006) ** Tuning Out The Unholy Hero (2007) ** Crushing the Conspiracy of the Cheater (2007) ** Lambasting the Legions of Laziness (2008) ** Blasting the Big Gamemaster Bully (2009) ** Combating the Commandant of Confusion (2010) ** In the Presence of Enemies (2010) * Live videos ** The Incredible Force of Joy Live (1999) ** Conquering the Wrath of Rage Live (2000) ** Breaking the Bonds of Disobedience Live (2001) ** A Light in the Darkness Live (2004) ** A Fight for Faith Live (2005) * Bibleman: The Animated Adventures (2016) ** Melting the Master of Mean ** The Mayor of Maybe Doles Out Doubt ** Dr. Fear's Almost Perfectly Disastrous Day ** Disabling the Disobey Ray ** Ambushed by the Ambassador of Ignorance ** Stopping the Sultan of Selfishness ** Lighting Up the Shadow of Doubt ** Fracturing the Falsehoods of the Fibbler ** Wiping Out the Whiner Brothers ** Clobbering the Crusher ** Braving the Big Battle with the Baroness ** Repelling the Ronin of Wrong ** Spoiling the Schemes of Luxor Spawndroth Part 1 (2017) ** Spoiling the Schemes of Luxor Spawndroth Part 2 (2017) ** Pulverizing the Plans of the Prince of Pride (2017) In popular culture * The series was director James Gunn's inspiration for the Holy Avenger series featured in the 2010 film Super Videos Trailer Category:Kids live-action Category:Kids live-action and animation Category:Kids live-action television series Category:Kids television series Category:Kids series